Why I belong to ALA/AASL

 Yup, I complain about at ALA and AASL. Vociferously, broadly and publicly. I think the $160 or whatever is way too much for annual dues. I think American Libraries, the OIF, and the ALA legislative committee ignore school libraries. I've wondered many times why I bother to attend the Midwinter Conference.  The AASL Executive Director and all her staff are probably grossly over paid and treat money like it grows on trees. The ALA Board spends way to much time on resolutions that have little to do with libraries - like human rights in Guatemalan nunneries and such.

You want more?

But I still pay my dues, have done so for the past 12 years and probably will do so for the next 12. Here's why:

1.  Paying dues is how I show my support for the ideals of intellectual freedom. ALA is the one organization brave and organized enough to be listened to when censorious legislation or commentary comes up. I love ISTE, but it doesn't have this sort of conscience going for it. If ALA goes down, it will take a lot of peoples' rights to read and access information with it. That to me is absolutely horrifying.
   
2. Paying dues gives me complaining rights. I get to complain about the organizations to which I belong. If you don't belong, if you don't work in the organization, if you don't speak up - you don't get to piss and moan. Simple as that. Non-members bitching is like somebody trying to redecorate a house by throwing rocks at it from the sidewalk.  If the organization isn't perfect, it isn't because I didn't try to make it better.
   
3. Paying dues supports national library standards. AASL is the national organization that represents school libraries and as such has some gravitas on issues like standards and guidelines. These are often helpful at a building level when the "voice of authority" is required.
   
4. Paying dues gives me opportunities for inter-species communications. Reading American Libraries and attending ALA conferences put me in contact with the sometimes bizarre habits of librarians of other types - public, academic, and special. (Often very special if you know what I mean.) This interaction mostly makes me very thankful that I chose to become a school librarian.
   
5. Paying dues gives me access to Will Manly's column in American Libraries just as soon as it comes out. I do wish Will would go back to telling funny stories about library management instead of this historical boo-rah he's been doing.
   
6. Paying dues shows that I honor quality writing for children and young adults. Yes, ALA gives the Newbery and Caldecott awards (and Printz, King, Edwards, etc.) So OK, the books chosen usually suck as far as most kids are concerned, but at least someone is saying that we should be worried about quality when writing for kids.
   
7. Did I mention paying dues give me complaining rights? Let's see you form a better organization to support school librarians.
   

Joining a professional organization is not necessarily about the good we as individuals get from membership, but the differences our contributions in both money and time make to the profession as a whole - and to those whom the profession serves. It isn't always about you!

Yes, $160 or whatever is a chunk of change. You could instead buy:

• one grande latte every week for a whole year
• 2 or 3 nice suppers out with your significant other, depending on how picky you are about your wine selection
  
• 2 pairs of shoes, 10 dress shirts or a cheap sports jacket when on sale
• a 3 day pass to DisneyWorld
• about 8 books or so at Barnes & Noble if you have the membership discount
• 4 tanks of gas
• 13 copies of Machines Are the Easy Part; People Are the Hard Part

I'm not going to convince anybody to join or not to join. Just stating my reasons. I don't feel like a sap for paying my dues, but like someone who is contributing.

And I am among the most cheap and cynical people I know.

Comments

[bryn @ brio]

Thanks for this. I just started a school library blog and wanted to talk about this LM_NET discussion, but I'm too much of a newbie to do it justice. So I'm lazily linking to yours instead. :) Looking forward to paying dues soon myself.
~bryn
soon-to-be library school student

[Linda Nelson]

I am currently enrolled at SLIS University of Wisconsin, Madison. I am a member of the Iowa Library Association and ACRL. What do you think about a future MLS joining ALA? Would it be more beneficial to wait until after I have my MLS?

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Linda,

As I remember, ALA has a very attractive student member price. I'd take advantage of it while I can. I was a student member and it shows commitment to the field.

All the best,

Doug

[Sara Kelly Johns]

Hi, Linda (and Doug),

Your memory is right, Doug!

Linda (and others)--There is a great registration price for students and you can claim it for five years. The dues for a student membership are only $28 a year. The not-so-obvious part is that to be a member of AASL or another division, you need to register for it and pay an additional fee of $20 (again a hefty discounted price for 5 years). Since a subscription to Knowledge Quest alone is $40 a year, a student membership is one of the associations biggest bargains. And you can then apply for scholarships and awards as an AASL member--and serve on committees, including as a virtual member. It's a headstart on being a valued member of our profession!
<http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/membership/pdfmembership.htm>

Just do it, Sara (AASL President-Elect)

[Doug Johnson]

Dear Doug,
I loved your post! Thank you so much. I have "tinkered" with a reply on
this issue for a couple of days, but kept deciding that, as a "newbie" in
the LMS world, my experiences don't really count for much. Honestly, the
dues aren't out of line as professional organizations go. I paid $100-$200+
each year for Public Relations Society of America, Women in Communications,
International Association of Business Communicators, etc. And $200+ per
year for the massage and bodywork associations, not to mention my city
licensing there ($150 for absolutely NOTHING!).

It is about being part of the greater good as much as what you gain. As a
newcomer, I would like to think I would receive information on "getting
started" and so on but, realistically, that doesn't really happen. I'd like
to see more articles targeted to school librarians. Maybe that just means
more school librarians need to submit! Perhaps we simply need to adjust our
thinking to being part of the solution rather than ...

Thanks again and best,
pjj


Paula Joseph-Johnson, Asst. LMS
Bristow High School Media Center (Bristow, OK)

[Christopher Harris]

Yeah, yeah...join ALA good.

The real story here is where Doug is picking up dress shirts for $16 a pop?!? "10 dress shirts or a cheap sports jacket when on sale"

The $160 also represents the cover charge for permission to demand change in ALA/AASL.

[Doug Johnson]

Chris,

Watch for sales at Kohls. The really bad colors, odd sizes and bad cuts - all which ARE me - are cheap on clearance.

Maybe I better check. It's been a while since I've bought clothes...

Doug